DESCRIPTION: Funding is requested to support the next meeting of the NNFF International Consortium for the Molecular Biology of NF1 and NF2 to be held June 7-10, 1998 at Aspen, Colorado. International research conferences on neurofibromatosis have been held annually or biannually since 1985 and have spawned key collaborations on the mapping and cloning of the genes for NF1 and NF2, as well as studies of pathogenesis and experimental therapeutics. The conference will have six platform sessions, chaired by experts in the field. Each session will include two invited talks. Three other talks in each session will be selected from submitted abstracts. One talk in each session will be from a young investigator. In addition, there will be two poster sessions. The platform sessions will cover a clinical overview of the neurofibromatoses, molecular genetics of NF1 and NF2, cell and developmental biology of NF1 and NF2, and experimental therapeutics. These conferences have a superb track record of bringing together clinical and laboratory researchers from a wide variety of disciplines, including genetics, neuroscience, cancer biology, cell and developmental biology, as well as clinical medicine. The genes for NF1 and NF2 have been implicated not only in these disorders, but also in other types of malignancy. Knowledge gained from studies of the neurofibromatoses therefore will also contribute to our understanding of other medical problems, including learning disabilities and cancer; and will enhance our understanding of the regulation of cell differentiation and proliferation. This proposed meeting will provide an opportunity for both formal and informal scientific discussion between junior and senior investigators that will continue a tradition of open discussion and collaboration on the important topic.